How do I check if an exported pdf file (from inkscape) is a vector file?

[adam.soh]

Hi there,

I'm new to Inkscape and I've a question that I hope someone can guide me with. I've been making figures using Inkscape and I'm unsure if the pdf format in the 'Save As' option would generate a raster or vector file. Is there a way to check that?

I've attempted magnifying my exported pdf file to check to see if the features are pixelated, which I don't see. However, I don't feel confident about that method. Is there an alternate way to check that?

Many thanks.
Adam

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

As you know, PDF can contain both raster and vector content.  In general, whatever kind of contents are in the original SVG file (or your Inkscape canvas, in case you didn't save an SVG) will be the same kind of contents in the saved PDF. 

If you used any filters in your drawing, and you check to rasterize filter effects in the save as PDF dialog, then the filters will be rasterized.

If I wanted to check it out, I would open the PDF file in Inkscape.  By selecting each object, and looking at the status bar, you can tell what kind of object it is.  Anything which is raster content will be identified as "Image:....." in the status bar.  Or actually, I would use Select All (Ctrl A) and check the status bar.  If you see "Image" anywhere iin the status bar, then there is some raster content, somewhere.

For the most part, it should not be necessary to double-check Inkscape on that.  Do you have some reason which you need to double-check?

[adam.soh]

Hi Brynn,

Thanks for getting back to me. The reason why I ask was because I wasn't that familiar with the nature of pdf documents.

On a different note, are the pdfs generated from Inkscape compressed? Or is it not compressed (by default)?

I also noticed that png exports are not editable in other vector based platforms (such as corel) but the pdf exports are. May I know what's the reason to that?

Thanks.
Adam

[brynn]

I don't think PDF files have been compressed, compared to SVG.  But I've never really studied it.

PNG is a raster format, which means the entire image is made of colored pixels.  You can never edit a raster image with vector tools.  Never.  Because in vector graphics, pixels are irrelevant.  Vector tools cannot edit the pixels.  The vice versa is also true.  You can never edit a vector image with raster tools.

The reason that some PDFs are editable with vector programs is, as I said before, PDF can contain both raster and vector contents, in the same file.  However, only the vector contents will be editable.  You still won't be able to edit the raster contents with vector tools.

Raster formats are JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and some others.  They are all made of colored pixels.

Vector formats are SVG, CDR, DXF, EPS, and several others.  These are all made of paths, esssentially.  There are many vector elements, but I think of paths as being the essence of vector graphics.

[adam.soh]

Hi Brynn,

That's crystal clear. Thanks a ton for the explanations!

I noticed that the pdf is approximately half the size of the original inkscape file. I guess this indicates that there's compression whenever inkscape files are saved as pdfs?

Adam

[Moini]

Or maybe there's stuff in the SVG file that isn't transferred into the pdf. Maybe you need to clean up your svg file to make it smaller, maybe it's Inkscape-specific contents, or contents that is outside of the page area.

[brynn]

Regarding raster vs vector files, I should probably clarify what I said just a little.  While what I said is true, one can't edit the other, you might find vector programs which contain some raster tools.  For example, Inkscape has Extensions menu > Raster sub-menu which are a lot of raster tools (although they don't work in Windows).  And vice versa, you might find some raster programs which contain some vector tools.  For example, GIMP has....I think it's called a Path tool, which allows you to add vector contents to the raster file.